New Tang Dynasty Television's (NTDTV) Chinese New Year Spectacular has moved people on many different levels during its east coast tour of Australia, but for Gloria King from Sydney, the Spectacular's expression of Chinese culture was a triumph of faith and hope.
"It was a statement of the indomitable human spirit to overcome any obstacle no matter what happens," Ms King said. "To still live in faith and hope that righteousness will triumph."
Ms King said that when she heard about the show she expected to see "a revival" of Chinese culture in the sense of "keeping alive what could have been lost in Chinese dramatic and cultural arts" after the devastating years of the Cultural Revolution.
Following the matinee session of the Spectacular on the last day of its Australian tour, Ms King said the show was far more than that.
"It was just triumphant, a triumphant art presentation of what life is about, to be individual, to be a people of culture where you are appreciated and to make the most of it despite overwhelming circumstances," she said.
The Spectacular's presentation of China's 5000 year history through its myths and legends was unique in the way it so integrally linked Chinese culture with its spiritual past. "You can see it in all the songs and music," she said, "and then you realise it goes back to the very beginnings of when these presentations of spirit were developed.
"Culture really is a gift from God, and it was beautifully presented," she said.
Ms King said experiencing other cultures generally was an "expansive experience for an individual but Chinese culture with its long and civilised history provided an exceptional experience.
"When you experience and see cultures of any people you are being expanded as an individual yourself.
"The Chinese culture had reached pinnacles that are really not appreciated today and when you see it, it makes that much more of your own being and your own soul - it enlarges it."
Ms King said there was not really any one scene in the Spectacular that she preferred more than any other as each scene presented different aspects of Chinese culture and different levels of understanding.
"It was interesting how they presented it - it was not just one strain of thinking or presentation - there were many different avenues that appealed to many different types of people," she said.
"I can't think of any one scene in particular - it is just that same commonality of human potential that is divine and inspired and is a God gift."
Ms King said the Spectacular was a tribute to Chinese people in the way they looked to beauty and grace in the face of such adversity.
"You can really applaud the Chinese people here because their integrity of character and their indomitable spirit and their appreciation of what is beautiful in every little thing comes through it."
China has had a cultural revolution, now it's time to have a spiritual revolution, she said.
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